Tweezers.



C. J. PRANKARD, JR.

TWEEZERS.

APPLICATION FILED 8EPT.14,1909.

' Patentedv Dec. 27, 1910.

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CHARLES J. PRANKARD, JR., OF TROY, NEW YORK.

TWEEZERS.

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Specification of Letters Eatent. Application filed September 14, 1909.

Patented Dec. 2?, 1910. Serial No. 517,741.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES J. FRANK- ARI), J 1 a citizen of the United States, residing at Troy, in the county of Rensselaer and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tweezers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in tweezers provided with a flesh or skin pressing device to hold the flesh down while withdrawing a hair or splinter to prevent pain.

hen withdrawing a hair or other foreign element from a persons flesh with a pair of tweezers, the flesh will invariably pull with the hair. This causes pain and it is frequently severe, and under all circumstances is decidedly disagreeable. I have found by actual use, if the flesh or skin in proximity to the hair can be held against movement when withdrawing a hair or splinter, there will be no pain, and furthermore the hair is more susceptible of being easily removed.

According to my present invention I associate with a pair of tweezers, a flesh pressing device which closes in around the hair or splinter and when the latter is withdrawn the flesh is held tight, and by slight movement of the presser device the same assists in pulling the flesh away from the hair.

The invention therefore comprehends improvements in the particular manner of associating the flesh holding device with the tweezers to accomplish the described result.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a perspective view of the preferred form of the in vcntion. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same, the parts being in normal position. Fig. 3 is a similar view, but showing the tweezers in use. Figs. 4: and 5 are views of different forms of the invention.

The numeral 1 indicates a pair of tweezers, comprising a head 2, and spring arms 3, having operating points 4:. The head 2, is provided with an opening 5, and the arms 3, near the operating points at, are bent inwardly to form flanges 6, which are formed with openings 7 Associated with the tweezers 1, is a flesh or skin holding element 8, which comprises a stem 9, and two resilient legs 1010, which normally tend to open outwardly.

The stem 9, extends through the opening 5, in the head 2, to a point beyond said head, and at its end it is provided with a knob 11. Interposed between the knob and the head 2, is a coil spring 12 which serves to draw the flesh holding element 8, into its normal position with reference to the points of the tweezers. The major portions of the arms 10-10, are confined w'thin the arms 3, and their lower ends pass through the openings 7, in the flanges 6, to guide the tweezers in their movement when operating the same. The lower ends of the flesh holding element, fit snugly the outside of the tweezers below the flanges 6, to be as close to the operating points 4, as possible. In the normal position of the parts the lower ends of the legs are about on a level with the extreme ends of the points 41-, to afford convenience in operation. The extreme ends of the legs 10l0, are bent outwardly as at 12, and then upwardly and inwardly as at 13, to provide what I term presser feet. Passing through openings in the presser feet are yielding lugs or cushions 14:, which extend outwardly to impinge on the flesh. I may dispense with the bent formation of the feet described, and form the same by turning the end of the legs 10, outwardly and apply rubber pads or cushions 16, as shown in Fig. 2.

The operation of the form of the invention just described, is as followsz-The device is placed on the flesh, with the points 4, straddling the hair to be removed; the flesh being indicated in the drawings at a; the knob 11, resting in the palm of the hand, and the two legs being grasped between the forefinger and thumb. Pressure is applied to the spring arms 3, by the forefinger and thumb to grip the hair, or splinter as the case may be, which also brings the presser feet in proximity to the hair. The hair having been tightly caught by the operating points of the tweezers, a slight downward pressure on the knob is given, and at the same time the thumb and forefinger are drawn toward the palm of the hand to withdraw the hair. As the operating points 4-, move away from hair, the presser feet will obviously be drawn closer together, so that if the flesh immediately adjacent the hair tends to pull with it, as it will, the drawing together of the flesh in removing the the presser feet will press the flesh, or draw it away from the hair. By holding the flesh around the hair, while the latter is being withdrawn acts to prevent pain, and at the same time facilitates the pulling away of the root of the hair.

lVhile I have specifically described the preferred form of my invention, it is obvious I may depart from the details thereof, and yet accomplish substantially the same result. device consists of a piece of spring material bent at the middle portion 20, and the lower free ends of the legs 21-22 are brought adjacent each other. On the leg 21, is attached, or formed therewith, a spring leg 23, which with the lower end of leg 21, forms the tweezers. The leg 22, is bowed, and its lower end inclines toward the free end of the leg 21, for a specific purpose to be described. On the free end of the leg 22, are presser feet 2st, designed to embrace the end of the leg 21. Under normal conditions the under sides of these presser feet are on a level with the end of the leg 21. hen operating this form of the invention, the hair is grasped with the tweezers, and when the latter are squeezed the inner face of the leg 21, contacts with the face of the leg 22, and by reason of its inclination, when the pressure is applied the tweezers will be caused to ride up the inner inclined portion of leg 22, at the same time the end of the latter will be forced in the opposite direction. Obviously the presser feet will act to hold down the flesh in substantially the same manner as in the preferred form.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 5, two bow shape members 25, are provided, the inner adjoining legs 26 serving as the tweezers. The outer legs 27, incline toward the legs 26, in substantially the same manner as described in connection with Fig.

ends of the outer legs 27 force the ends of said tweezers upward, thereby withdrawing the hair and the points of said legs serving as the presser feet to hold the flesh down.

The invention is simple and insures the pulling of hairs or other foreign substances from the flesh without in anywise causing pain. As herein described. it may be made in a variety of ways. all of which, so far as I am aware come within the purview of my invention.

The invention is not limited to use in connection with removing hairs or splinters, as it is obvious it may be applicable in other arts.

hat I claim is V 1. A device of the character described, comprising tweezers, and a device located adjacent to and movable inwardly and outwardly with the operating points of said tweezers to hold down the flesh immedi- For instance as shown in Fig. 4:, the

a. hen the tweezers are squeezed, the

ately adjacent a hair or splinter while being withdrawn, there being a relative vertical movement bet-ween the points of'the tweezers and the device located adjacent the same.

2. A device of the character described, comprising tweezers, a device movable with the tweezers and located adjacent the operating points of said tweezers and in contact therewith to hold down the flesh immediately adjacent a hair or splinter and in contact with the hair or splinter while the latter is being withdrawn, there being a relative vertical movement between the points of the tweezers and the device located adjacentthe same.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a pair of tweezers, a spring leg having a presser foot adjacent to and removable with the points of the tweezers to impinge upon the flesh i'inmediately adjacent a hair being drawn and prevent the pulling of the flesh.

a. In combination, a pair of tweezers having resilient legs which tend to spread apart, and a slidably mounted flesh holding device formed with presser feet adapted to be brought together when the tweezers are withdrawn from said presser feet, cushions on the bottoms of said presser feet, and a spring interposed between the tweezers and the flesh holding device to normally hold the feet and the points of tweezers adjacent each other.

5. A device of the character described, comprising a pair of tweezers provided with perforated flanges and a perforated head, a flesh holding device provided with a stem which passes through the perforations in the head and legs which pass through the perforations in the flanges, and a spring normally holding the points of the tweezers and the points of the flesh holding device together.

6. A device of the character described, comprising a pair of tweezers provided with perforated flanges and a perforated head, a flesh holding device provided with a stem which passes through the perforations in the head and legs which pass through the perforations in the flanges, a spring normally holding the points of the tweezers and the points of the flesh holding device together, and cushioned presser feet at the ends of the flesh holding device.

7. A device of the character described, comprising tweezers having operating points, and a yielding flesh holding device operating on the outside of the operating points of the tweezers, and movable inwardly and outwardly therewith, and presser feet to impinge and exert downward pressure on the flesh below the tweezers points when drawing a hair with the tweezers operating points, the yielding of the flesh holding deholding device on the outside of the operatvice permitting a relative vertical move ment between the tweezers and the flesh holding device.

8. A device of the character described, comprising a pair of tweezers and a flesh ing points of said tweezers, the extreme ends of the said flesh holding device adapted to be drawn in to compress the flesh as the operating ends of the tweezers are withdrawn when removing a hair.

9. In combination a pair of tweezers and a slidably mounted flesh holding device formed with presser feet and associated with and adapted to be brought together when the tweezers points withdraw a hair or splinter, and a spring interposed between the tweezers and the flesh holding device to normally hold the prcsser feet and the points of the tweezers together.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES J. PRANKARD, Jn. Vitnesses VILLIAM MORRILL, ELIZABETH C. BAKEMAJ. 

